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Dixon Small Town Character

To evolve and protect the concept of Dixon as having a “small town character,” the following issues should be addressed:

The portions of Dixon that give the impression of “small town” result from the diverse architectural styles readily observable by automobile or on foot along First Street and A Street and within about half a mile radius of the intersection of these streets. Deliberately “blighting” these areas through official city hall policies will render Dixon an “anywhere” place, lacking in charm.

Any project which has the potential to increase Dixon’s resident population by more than the Measure B stipulated growth standards should be only be approved by ballot during a regularly scheduled election.

Aging in place: the preponderance of new homes constructed in Dixon should have features that accommodate the full life span of a family unit so the elders do not end up housed in densely compacted small rooms away from life supporting familiar surroundings.

The population centers of Vacaville and Davis have fully functional public transportation hubs.Dixon should add a small fleet of fuel efficient cars (Prius, Focus, etc.) to the ReadiRide service that would allow Dixon citizens to be transported to the out-of-town hubs in an efficient and timely manner.

An essential of a “small town” is having public safety at a level where elders and children are free to walk securely, even after dark.

The sidewalks of the city must be made and maintained as ADA compliant. Whether a family is wheeling an infant in a buggy or a person is using a wheel chair; the sidewalks need to be free of broken, uneven pavement and unsafe obstructions.

There need to be a variety of safe, free public meeting sites, within near access of family neighborhoods, where a cluster of friends might congregate for social interaction.

Streets must be well lit and have speed limits suitable for safe pedestrian crossing, especially by children. Wherever feasible, the streets should be lined with trees or shrubs to help reduce air pollution and noise pollution.

Building codes should require any new residential structures near the freeway or railroad tracks be sound proofed and air conditioned sufficiently to provide peaceful occupancy by tenants.

With contemporary electronic amplification such as in-home “surround sound” and band kits, the neighbors should not be forced to listen to it.

City ordinances must be applied uniformly among the citizens through pro-active application by the code enforcement officers. Education about the ordinances should be a key function of the code enforcements officers before citations are issued. Any unenforceable ordinances and those without meaningful consequences should be removed from the city codes.

Any city council person or city staff members found to be using code violation enforcement for retribution against citizens who exercise their rights and responsibilities to address issues brought before commissions and the council should be called to account in public.

A portion of “affordable housing” should be accommodated through the development of one or more well planned trailer parks. The layout should provide contemporary amenities for both single-wide and double-wide mobile homes and be in a location suitable for families with children.

Well-mannered pets should be welcomed. There should be several “dog parks” where dogs can get a healthy amount of off-leash exercise and training.

Business people especially and the population in general need to grow into being sincerely hospitable to new residents of every ethnicity. The city council members should be visible models of this.